Dil Lagi

4 years ago

-Grace-

@-Grace-

Dil Lagi

This is the modification of the scene where Arnav comes home to find Khushi in his shirt after she rips her blouse.

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Amongst all other pilling problems this one perhaps was the smallest and easiest to deal with hence Khushi decided this is where she’d begin to tackle all the ordeals-one at a time. Maybe that will give her some confidence to get to the sorting business. 

As Khushi stood in a freshly ironed white cotton shirt she looked at herself in the full length mirror. The same one where she had imagined a marital life in a green yellow saree. 

A smile crept on her lips, she didn't look half bad in his shirt. As insane as it sounded -and felt-  she had never felt so close to him. The smell of his lingering cologne reminiscing of his presence, and mere moments after, leaving a desire filled Khushi behind, longing for more. She had lost count of such moments. 

What once was a dream, had now become a reality, only it had completely flipped in the process. She had always feared his anger- something now she’d happily deal with instead of hatred and distant anyday. The irony of her situation was so real she couldn’t decide to laugh or cry. 

She shook her head as she realized why she had been wearing his shirt in the first place. 

Khushi took out a sewing kit and started repairing the blouse she had left earlier on the bed. She had just pulled the needle through the other side when she heard footsteps at a distance. Khushi’s hands froze midway and raked her brains for a quick solution. Arnav Singh Raizada would be a mad man seeing her in his shirt. He hated the idea of anyone touching his belongings let alone being in it. 

Khushi threw the blouse on the bed along with the needle and thread that hung from the back of it. How silly of her to think she could start sorting out her problems with this one. It was nothing compared to the one that was walking towards the room in a three piece suit. 

She bit her nails and paced back and forth anticipating her murder from the man who had her heart both figuratively and -soon enough- would have it literally. 

Khushi froze in her tracks as she heard the door open. 

Arnav entered the room only to have stopped before even  entering. 

Was she wearing his shirt? 

With Khushi there was no such thing as bizarre. Anything and everything was possible. 

Closing the doors he walked inside and threw his laptop bag on the bed. 

By this time Khushi knew it was best to stay in that position, the longer she could delay the outburst the longer she’d stay alive. 

Arnav stopped behind her, oddly surprised by her silent figure.  

Grabbing her arm he asked  “Khushi tum yeh-” 

Before he could say another word she pushed him against the French doors leading to the poolside and looked straight into his eyes. 

Arnav’s eyes popped out at the bizarreness of the situation. 

“What the-”

She never failed to surprise him. 

“Shhh” she placed her finger on his lips. 

“How dare you!” 

“Abhi tak naraz hain mujhse” 

She batted her lashes innocently as she lightly squeezed his shoulder.  Before he could open his mouth  she silenced him again. 

“Kaha na sorry”  

She smiled with a glint in her eyes. Khushi moved forward and whispered

“Audience” 

Arnav looked away in agreement. He could not create a scene now. The most he could do was not let it show how she affected him. Deep down in the corner of his heart he wished to be in this moment without the onlooker. He suppressed the underlying regret and masked it with anger-to convince himself of the show. 

He had lost count the amount of times he had imagined her in that particular white shirt.  Somewhere he knew his fate and destiny laughed at him mockingly. The irony of the situation made him cringe. 

Khushi’s proximity was making his heart beat faster than he’d like to admit. She hadn’t moved away  since that whisper. She began stroking the side of his face with her thumb and moved slightly away to look into his eyes again. 

“I promise kal paka chaloongi aapke saath nursery” 

Arnav looked at her in the eyes, moved by her sentiment - allowing himself a moment of oblivion. Why couldn’t the people of this house mind their own business. These plays for the family only pricked at his heart. 

A glimpse of the future-that he often dreamt of -flashed before his eyes. A huge garden where they had their evening tea while their children ran  around,  air filled with laughter. 

Perhaps in an ideal world, where his wife would love him back, understand all the unspoken words, read his eyes. 

“Ab to naraz nahi hain na?”

Khushi’s sugar coated voice brought him back to reality, where none of his dreams could be shaped. Seeing the look in her eyes confused him if nothing more, he so desperately wanted to believe it. He wanted to forget about everything for a moment and just  be in love. 

“Nahi hoon” he touched her cheek. 

A lump in his throat caused a visible shift in his expression. 

She kissed him on the cheek where her lips lingered for the next few moments. 

“Thank you” 

She spoke while nuzzling against his nose. Khushi smiled looking at his lips, fully aware of her actions. 

“Aap change karlein main khana lagati hoon” 

She smiled at him and ran out the door. 

Arnav remained in the spot long after she was gone, out of all the things he hadn’t imagined this from their contract marriage. 

Minutes later, he walked towards the dining area only to find Hari Prakash there.  Surprised at the unusual quietness- that he absolutely enjoyed- of his house he enquired. 

“Sab kahan hai? Koi dikh nahi raha”

“Ghar ke sare log to satsang pe gaye huye hain subah se aapko Khushi bhabhi ne bataya nahi?” 

Hari Prakash replied casually and walked towards the kitchen. 

As realization dawned upon him he took the closest seat and poured himself a glass of water. 

He smiled and the only sound falling on his ears was of his heart pounding.